


Catch Your Breath

by CosmicCrossing



Category: Senyuu. (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alba hasn't slept in three days. Ros is concerned, Basically Ros just pestering Alba to sleep, Cuddling, Fluff, Forehead Kisses, M/M, Minor Spoilers, Ros is soft, Ros: Let me just hang all over you and pretend it's platonic, Takes place sometime during Part 5, They aren't dating yet but they like each other., Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-20
Updated: 2019-07-20
Packaged: 2020-07-09 02:36:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19880197
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CosmicCrossing/pseuds/CosmicCrossing
Summary: “I know you’re a masochist, but this might be taking things too far.”“Iknewyou were going to say that,” Alba groans, throwing his head back.Ros leans against his shoulder and grins like a cat. “You did? Wow. Must be our bond. You can read me so well, Hero.”“Oh my god, shut up,” Alba whines, but it’s sort of ruined when he starts laughing halfway through his sentence.





	Catch Your Breath

**Author's Note:**

> HOLY WOW I HAVEN'T WRITTEN SOMETHING FOR SENYUU IN FOREVER...it feels really good to be back lol  
> And I wrote this all in one sitting too. Albatross just fuels me in ways nothing else can, it seems :'D
> 
> This was originally for a drabble request thing I'm doing on my tumblr! My pal Kio asked for Ros comforting Alba as a prompt so this was the result c: (I HOPE YOU LIKE IT KIO!!)
> 
> For once I didn’t write a oneshot during Alba’s prison tutoring times, shockingly enough since that’s all I usually write for them lmao;; I took a few liberties with Alba’s research facility esp since Part 5 isn’t super clear about what he even does in there (or maybe I just missed it? Idk lol) BUT YEAH for the sake of this story. He’s still trying to get Elf and Alf back home :’) And pushing himself way too hard in that attempt RIP lol
> 
> Anyway, I hope ya'll enjoy!! Here we go!

“What are you doing here.”

It’s more of a statement than a question, and if Ros didn’t know any better he’d immediately jump into teasing Alba for his haggard appearance—but that ends up being the exact reason he decides _not_ to. The hero has circles under his eyes that say he’s been awake for days. Ros hasn’t seen him like this since he was studying magic in a prison with seals sticking to his forehead.

“I came to check up on you,” he decides on saying, and frowns. “Which apparently was a good idea in hindsight because, frankly, you look like shit.”

Alba at least is coherent enough to roll his eyes. “Wow, thanks. I’m feeling better already.”

And with that he turns around and stalks off, hands shoved deep into the pockets of his fancy looking lab coat. Ros follows him at a trot.

“When’s the last time you ate something, Hero?” He asks, matching Alba stride for stride. They round a corner and Ros tries not to let his gaze linger too long on what’s going on around him—Alba’s research facility is like a maze and he always tends to get lost within it if he’s not careful. (Usually when he shows up, he shouts and calls attention to himself until Alba appears to either kick him out or invite him in with a look of fond annoyance.)

Alba sighs. “Does it matter? I’m eating.”

Ros looks him over and narrows his eyes. Alba looks…skinny. Skinnier than usual. Not his regular slightly muscled self. And pale. Frighteningly pale.

“Not enough, apparently. Do I need to start camping out here and force you to eat on a schedule?” He jokes, hoping for some kind of positive reaction.

The brunette only snorts. “Please. I’m an adult. I can take care of myself.”

“Hero,” Ros says, his tone chiding.

Alba comes to a sudden halt, looking frustrated. Ros keeps his distance by a foot or two, wary.

“Look, just—” And he scrubs his hand through his hair in frustration. “What do you want? To bother me? I don’t have time to entertain you today, Ros. I’m busy.”

Ros would have immediately punched him for his clipped tone and his blatant attempt at brushing him off if the use of his name didn’t make him pause. Nowadays Alba usually calls him Shion—as a way to show his affection, he supposes, because Ros doesn’t really let anyone else call him that besides Crea. It’s weird hearing Alba use his other name now, so used to hearing “Shion” in a tone full of adoration. 

Looking over him again, Alba looks exhausted. And also wired, like he’s been only surviving on coffee and whatever mana he has left to keep himself going.

Ros huffs out a sigh and pinches the bridge of his nose. He knows what Alba’s doing, because he’s done it a million times himself. It’s pretty easy to get distracted by your goals and keep striving towards them without pausing to rest. But if Alba keeps going like this, he’s going to crash and burn eventually.

So, Ros leans over and kicks him in the shin. Hard.

Immediately, Alba leaps back, magic flaring around him. “ _Ow_ —what the fuck?!”

Huh. Alba has no filter when he’s running on maybe three hours of sleep. Ros decides to file that piece of information away for later.

“Come here,” Ros demands, grabbing his wrist. He drags him down the hall and straight to the lounge—the one place he knows how to get to in the building.

Luckily, the place is empty when they arrive. Ros gently tugs Alba over to the first couch he sees and forces him to sit on it.

Alba opens his mouth, either to protest or to complain, but Ros cuts him off.

“Listen to me. I know what you’re doing. You need to stop,” he states, looking down on the tired hero as he crosses his arms. “Elf and Alf aren’t going to suddenly up and disappear just because you’re taking a nap.”

“I know that!” Alba snaps, and then he visibly deflates, like he feels guilty for doing so. “I know that. I just…”

Ros nudges him over with his foot and then takes a seat next to him, reclining against the cushions.

“I just want to help them,” the brunette admits, softly. “I told them I would. And I feel like we’re so close to a breakthrough, to finding a way to get them home, but…”

“You’re rushing things,” Ros murmurs. He reaches up to gently tussle Alba’s hair, who releases a quiet, startled noise. “You’re cornering yourself, Hero. I know you’re dead set on fulfilling whatever promise you made to those two, but it’s not like you have an exact deadline. I’m pretty sure that if they were supposed to be erased from our timeline, they would’ve been already.”

Alba slumps, finally relaxing beneath his touch. Ros’ hand travels to stroke down his back in soothing circles.

“Getting no sleep and only eating when you need to isn’t healthy,” Ros admonishes. “And trust me, I’ve been there. You think I didn’t do everything in my power to fix what happened to Crea? I didn’t sleep for weeks.”

Alba peers up at him curiously, looking a bit more lively than he did before. “Really—? I mean—wait, no, that’s obvious, of course you didn’t. Your best friend had his body stolen right in front of you, of course you probably had trouble sleeping…”

Ros squeezes his hip and he squeaks, cheeks turning pink. The black-haired boy resists the urge to smile.

“I know you’re a masochist, but this might be taking things too far.”

“I _knew_ you were going to say that,” Alba groans, throwing his head back.

Ros leans against his shoulder and grins like a cat. “You did? Wow. Must be our bond. You can read me so well, Hero.”

“Oh my god, shut up,” Alba whines, but it’s sort of ruined when he starts laughing halfway through his sentence.

Ros runs his hand across the boy’s lower back again and chuckles. They’re sitting close enough now that their knees are almost touching. Ros’ heart floods with warmth, and he smiles.

“Don’t worry about those two. They’ll be fine. If anyone can figure out how to send them back, you can. But you don’t need to make yourself sick doing it.”

Alba nods, slowly, and avoids his gaze. His eyes are fixed firmly on the carpet, and his hands are balled in his lap. He looks almost bashful, and a bit ashamed. Ros’ arm is curled all the way around him now, his hand rubbing circles into Alba’s hip.

“Are you gonna be a good boy now and get some rest? If not I’ll have to knock you out and _make_ you sleep.”

“Please don’t,” is the response he gets.

“Good, because if that didn’t work, I was going to call Rchi,” Ros tells him, smirking when Alba looks at him in horror. Rchi is a menace when she knows her boys are being idiots.

He finally releases him, and Alba lies down on the couch begrudgingly. He’s pouting like a child, but at least he’s finally complying.

“Get some sleep, Hero. Or I’ll be really angry.”

“Fine,” Alba sighs, closing his eyes. “See, I’m doing it now, okay? You happy?”

“Quite, actually.”

There’s a long pause, and Ros almost thinks Alba has already drifted off (which would be impressive, considering his head just hit the pillow), but Alba speaks again.

“Hey, Shion…” He mumbles. Oh. He’s gone back to using “Shion”, then. Ros tries to pretend that he’s not happy about the prospect. “Will you…stay here? Don’t go home while I’m sleeping.”

Ros’ heart skips a beat. He’s glad Alba’s eyes are closed and that he can’t read his expression.

“What, you afraid the monsters under the bed will attack you while you’re dreaming and steal your ribs? That would be a tragedy. Ribman, losing his ribs,” he teases weakly.

“‘M not Ribman and you know it,” Alba mumbles. “And no, I just…feel safer when you’re near me. Like I can sleep easier…”

Ros covers his burning face with a hand and looks away, swallowing thickly. Jesus. This kid really is trying to kill him, isn’t he?

It takes a long while, but Ros finally answers.

“…Yeah, I’ll stay. I won’t leave your side, Alba.”

All he hears is a soft snore, and when he finally has the courage to look over again, Alba is completely passed out.

Ros exhales heavily and rubs the back of his neck. Guess he should have expected as much.

His eyes dart around the room, making sure that nobody else is around, and then he moves to crouch over Alba’s slumbering form.

“Goodnight, my Hero,” he murmurs, leaning down to gently press his lips to Alba’s forehead.

And if he holds Alba’s hand the whole time as he guards the boy who saved the world, well, that’s his little secret.

**Author's Note:**

> We love a soft Ros who’s still trying to come to terms with his feelings uwu
> 
> I've always headcanoned that once Alba starts getting into magic research he dedicates himself to it fully and just. Sorta forgets to take care of himself so Ros and Rchi have to force him to eat and sleep LOL  
> He runs on coffee and that's about it. I love grumpy researcher Alba let me have this
> 
> I also refuse to budge on the idea of Alba calling Ros "Shion" more often after he figures out his real name. Ros doesn't let anyone else call him that besides Alba and Crea (and sometimes, Rchi, if she happens to). I feel that when Alba goes back to calling him Ros, Ros knows he's in trouble in some way lmao
> 
> Come hmu on tumblr, I'm @shima-draws *eyes emoji*
> 
> Comments are super appreciated and loved!! <3 Thanks for reading!


End file.
